MAC570 Accounting Information Systems – The database approach to data management is sometimes called
QUESTION
Exam Two
MAC570
Accounting Information Systems
Fontbonne
University
Summer
2013
Student Name:
How You Will Be Graded:
10 True-False (0.5 points
each): 5 pts
30 Multiple Choice (1
points each): 30 pts
9 Short Answer (5 points
each) 45 pts
8 Take-Home Essays (15
points each): 120 pts
Total: 200 pts
True / False Questions (1
point each)
1.
The database approach to data
management is sometimes called the flat file approach.
2.
A lockout is a software control that prevents
multiple users from simultaneous access to data.
3.
According to the REA
philosophy, information systems should support only the needs of accounting
professionals.
4.
Modern managers need both
financial and nonfinancial information that traditional GAAP-based accounting
systems are incapable of providing.
5.
The primary goal of installing an ERP system
is achieving business process reengineering to improve customer service, reduce
production time, increase productivity, and improve decision-making.
6.
Organizations using ERP systems employ an
internal control tool called a role.
7.
The network paradox is that networks exist to
provide user access to shared resources while one of its most important
objectives is to control access.
8.
The rules that make it possible for users of
networks to communicate are called protocols.
9.
All of the steps in the Systems
Development Life Cycle apply to software that is developed in-house and to
commercial software.
10. A qualified opinion on managementâs assessment of internal controls
over the financial reporting system necessitates a qualified opinion on the
financial statements?
Multiple Choice Questions
(2 points each)
1. Which
of the following is not a problem usually associated with the flat-file
approach to data management?
a.
data
redundancy
b.
restricting
access to data to the primary user
c.
data storage
d.
currency of
information
2. The
deletion anomaly in unnormalized databases
a.
is easily
detected by users
b.
may result in
the loss of important data
c.
complicates
adding records to the database
d.
requires the
user to perform excessive updates
3. Data
currency is preserved in a centralized database by
a.
partitioning
the database
b.
using a
lockout procedure
c.
replicating
the database
d.
implementing
concurrency controls
4. Which
procedure will prevent two end users from accessing the same data element at
the same time?
a.
data
redundancy
b.
data
replication
c.
data lockout
d.
none of the
above
5. A
replicated database is appropriate when
a.
there is
minimal data sharing among information processing units
b.
there exists
a high degree of data sharing and no primary user
c.
there is no
risk of the deadlock phenomenon
d.
most data
sharing consists of read-write transactions
6. Which
statement is NOT true? REA resources
are:
a.
assets
b.
affected by
support events
c.
scarce
d.
under the
control of agents
7. The âRâ
in REA stands for
a.
ratios
b.
relationships
c.
resources
d.
reserves
8. The âEâ
in REA stands for
a.
events
b.
estimates
c.
economics
d.
entities
9. The âAâ
in REA stands for
a.
assets
b.
apportionment
c.
allocation
d.
agents
10. In an
REA model, events are described from the perspective of
a.
the
organization
b.
the designer
c.
the user
d.
the customer
11.
Goals of ERP include all of the
following except
a.
improved
customer service
b.
improvements
of legacy systems
c.
reduced
production time
d.
increased
production
12. Which of the following statements is not
true?
a.
In a typical
two-tier client server system, the server handles both application and
database duties.
b.
Client
computers are responsible for presenting data to the user and passing user
input back to the server.
c.
In
three-tier client server architecture, one tier is for user presentations,
one is for database and applications, and the third is for Internet access.
d.
The database
and application functions are separate in the three-tier model.
13. Auditors of ERP systems
a.
need not
worry about segregation of duties.
b.
may feel
that the data warehouse is too clean and free from errors.
c.
find
independent verification easy.
d.
need not
worry about system access since the ERP determines it.
14. Legacy systems are
a.
old manual
systems that are still in place.
b.
flat file
mainframe systems developed before client-server computing became standard.
c.
stable
database systems after debugging.
d.
advanced
systems without a data warehouse.
15. The setup of a data warehouse includes
a.
modeling the
data
b.
extracting
data from operational databases
c.
cleansing
the data
d.
all of the
above
16. What do you call a system of computers that
connects the internal users of an organization that is distributed over a wide
geographic area?
a.
LAN
b.
decentralized
network
c.
multidrop
network
d.
Intranet
17.
Network protocols fulfill all of the
following objectives except
a.
facilitate
physical connection between network devices
b.
provide a
basis for error checking and measuring network performance
c.
promote
compatibility among network devices
d.
result in
inflexible standards
18. The primary difference between a LAN and a
WAN is
a.
the
geographical area covered by the network
b.
the
transmission technology used
c.
the type of
workstation used
d.
the size of
the company
19. FTP
a.
is the
document format used to produce Web pages.
b.
controls Web
browsers that access the Web.
c.
is used to
connect to Usenet groups on the Internet
d.
is used to
transfer text files, programs, spreadsheets, and databases across the
Internet.
e.
is a
low-level encryption scheme used to secure transmissions in higher-level ()
format.
20. An IP Address:
a.
defines the
path to a facility or file on the web.
b.
is the
unique address that every computer node and host attached to the Internet
must have.
c.
is
represented by a 64-bit data packet.
d.
is the
address of the protocol rules and standards that governing the design of
internet hardware and software.
e.
none of the
above is true.
21. Examples of one-time costs include all of the
following except
a.
hardware
acquisition
b.
insurance
c.
site
preparation
d.
programming
22. Examples of recurring costs include
a.
software
acquisition
b.
data
conversion
c.
personnel
costs
d.
systems
design
23. A tangible benefit
a.
can be
measured and expressed in financial terms
b.
might
increase revenues
c.
might
decrease costs
d.
all of the
above
24. The systems steering committee is responsible
for all of the following except
a.
assigning
priorities
b.
determining
whether and when to terminate systems projects
c.
analyzing
the technical feasibility of the project
d.
budgeting
funds for systems development
25. The accountantâs role in systems analysis
includes all of the following except
a.
specify
audit trail requirements
b.
prepare data
gathering questionnaires
c.
suggest
inclusion of advanced audit features
d.
ensure
mandated procedures are part of the design
26. Which of the following is not an advantage of
commercial software? Commercial software
a.
can be
installed faster than a custom system
b.
can be
easily modified to the userâs exact specifications
c.
is
significantly less expensive than a system developed in-house
d.
is less
likely to have errors than an equivalent system developed in-house
27. Which step is least likely to occur when
choosing a commercial software package?
a.
a detailed
review of the source code
b.
contact with
user groups
c.
preparation
of a request for proposal
d.
comparison
of the results of a benchmark problem
28. The output of the detailed design phase of
the Systems Development Life Cycle (SDLC) is a
a.
fully
documented system report
b.
systems
selection report
c.
detailed
system design report
d.
systems
analysis report
29. There is often a conflict between the
attributes of
a.
timeliness
and conciseness
b.
accuracy and
timeliness
c.
relevance
and summarization
d.
completeness
and exceptions orientation
30. Which is not true of direct data input forms?
a.
errors
caused by transcription are reduced
b.
calculations
are automatically performed on intelligent forms
c.
many data
entry errors are detected and corrected immediately
d.
workers who
use direct data input forms must be highly trained and skilled
Short Answer Questions (5
points each)
Instructions
Please answer each question fully. These are short answer questions that require
a few sentences to one paragraph to fully answer. Each response is worth 15 points.
1. How does the database approach solve the
problem of data redundancy?
2. Define resources, economic events, and agents.
3. Define
ERP.
4. Describe the three-tier client server
model.
5. What is a ping?
6. Explain
why accountants are interested in the legal feasibility of a new systems
project.
7. List
three advantages and one disadvantage of commercial software.
8. What
is the purpose of the Request for Proposal (RFP)?
9. Why should the tasks of systems
development and maintenance be segregated from operations?
Exam
Two Essays
Instructions
Please answer each question fully. These are essays and meant to be written in
several paragraphs. Each response is
worth 15 points.
1.
One purpose of a database
system is the easy sharing of data. But this ease of sharing can also
jeopardize security. Discuss at least three forms of access control designed to
reduce this risk.
2.
Discuss the key features of
Section 404 of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act.
3.
Does a qualified opinion on
managementâs assessment of internal controls over the financial reporting
system necessitate a qualified opinion on the financial statements? Explain.
4.
Discuss the appropriate steps
to take when selecting a commercial software package.
5.
What are network protocols?
What functions do they perform?
6.
What is the fundamental concept
behind the rule of least access? Explain why this is a potential problem in an
ERP environment.
7.
Explain a database lockout and
the deadlock phenomenon. Contrast that to concurrency control and the
timestamping technique. Describe the importance of these items in relation to
database integrity.
8.
Explain how the one-time
password approach works.
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